Unlike a great many sporting professions, jockeying is a short man's game.
More often than not, the top jockeys have one thing in common: their diminutive height. Short kings reign supreme on the old dirt road.
Just Steel jockey Keith Asmussen stands a head above the pack ahead of his Kentucky Derby debut. But just how tall is Asmussen?
While he certainly looks like a colossus when standing side-by-side with his fellow mount enthusiasts, is that truly the case? Here's what you need to know about Asmussen.
MORE: Live updates from the 150th annual Kentucky Derby
How tall is Keith Asmussen?
Asmussen stands at 5 feet, 10 inches tall, which puts him ahead of his Churchill Downs competition in at least one category.
Typically, jockeys are expected to be strong but light — indeed, the Derby limits jockey weight to 126 pounds or less, riding gear included. They need to have the brawn to handle the most unruly of thoroughbreds but light enough for their horses to carry around the track. That's a delicate balance, one that tends to be difficult for taller individuals to strike.
Asmussen is no ordinary individual, however. Despite his 5-10 height, he weighs just 125 pounds in his gear. That's far below the typical body weight range for a man of Asmussen's height. (Most 5-10 men fall between a weight of 149-182 pounds, per the ideal body weight chart from Banner Health.)
Heights for other jockeys at the 2024 Kentucky Derby fall in the range of 5-2 to 5-6.
Asmussen may have a different build from other jockeys, but don't get it twisted. He has serious pedigree, and Just Steel has 20-1 odds to win Saturday's race.
“Physically, he doesn’t fit (as a jockey). He’s too tall (5-foot-10), too skinny," Just Steel's owner, D. Wayne Lukas, told America's Best Racing. "But he’s got so much horsemanship that he overcomes it. We used to say in athletics, ‘They look good in the lobby.’ He doesn’t look good in the lobby. He looks better on the horse.”
Who is Keith Asmussen's father?
Keith Asmussen isn't the only member of this family to showcase a proclivity for the art of the gallop. His father Steve Asmussen, who is 6 feet tall, is a noted horse guru. He previously served as a jockey and now works as a trainer.
The elder Asmussen will be watching the action one way or another. Track Phantom, who Steve Asmussen trained, holds 20-1 odds in Saturday's race.
Keith Asmussen age
Asmussen is 25 years old ahead of his first Kentucky Derby.
